SPEAKOUT

Give women players a break

I'M RESPONDING to the Speak Out comment that women at Southeast don't play at the same level as men. They don't profess to play at the same level as men, and the caller mentioned he didn't want to pay money to watch an inferior game. Tell that to the 17,000 people who attend the Tennessee games or the sellout crowds that attend U-Conn or the crowd that attended the Division II final and semi-final games here at SEMO a couple of years back. I would suggest that this caller is not a purist of the basketball game. John Wooden himself said, "Women play the game the way it's supposed to be played. They're more fundamentally sound." Yes, SEMO has struggled in recent years. But to categorized the women's game as inferior is a little bit misleading. The caller just goes to watch the dunks and what have you. He was probably was one of those who jumped on the bandwagon when Southeast was in the Division II finals and had a sellout here at Southeast. So give the women a break. They don't profess to play on the same level as men, but they bring a different product to the floor. And they try just as hard and play just as hard. Even though the women haven't been as successful in the last couple of years, the men aren't exactly burning up the nets.

Unequal justice in Jackson court

I CAN identify with the person who said he was ticketed by the city of Jackson for operating a mini-bike without an appropriate license and was given the maximum fine for his offense while others with more serious offenses were given suspended sentences. I have been in Jackson Municipal Court on more than one occasion, and I assure you that this gentleman's assessment of the judicial system in Jackson is correct. The city attorney preys on the young, the old, the poor and the uneducated who do not have the ability or the financial means to offer a defense. This is easy revenue for the city with the least amount of effort. While there on one occasion, I observed more than 60 persons plead guilty and receive fines and court costs for minor traffic violations ranging from $50 to more than $800. A young man who was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia was allowed to plea bargain. The prosecutor recommended that the judge suspend his sentence, place him on probation until he graduates in May and have him pay court costs which amounted to about $35. The prosecutor told the judge that he had contacted the assistant principal at Jackson High School and was told that this person was a good student and was never in any trouble at school. This person has been suspended of school on numerous occasions and was kicked out of the Scott City school system for drug-related charges. Jackson would rather get its revenue from a disabled person trying to teach his child some values than to deal with the drug offenders. Our legislators are promoting legislation to offer rewards to persons reporting drug offenders. Why? What kind of justice is this when people with minor traffic violations receive maximum penalties while drug violators walk with $35 court costs and five months of probation?

Teacher salary freezes aren't good

TEACHERS ARE told salary freezes are possible. I don't like that. That upsets this parent of the public school system. How would the school board members like their salaries frozen? Teachers need consistent and increasing wages, not new school buildings. In any organization, workers are only as good as their leadership. With such poor business leadership decision, I hate to think of the quality of teachers we will attract in the future.

Someone else will buy cigarettes, alcohol

WELL, IT looks like the City Council and the chief of police want to put the burden on big sister and big brother to buy cigarettes and alcohol for delinquents. That's all it is. You keep the delinquents from buying their own, and big sister or big brother will buy it for them.

Other towns should crack down too

I AM behind the Cape Girardeau Police Department 100 percent in what it has done concerning selling liquor and tobacco to minors. I only wish Jackson, Scott City, Chaffee and a few other towns would do the same thing. If they don't, the kids in Cape will just be going out of town to buy their stuff. Hooray for the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

Barking dogs help keep crime down

MAYBE THE people who don't like barking dogs would change their mind if the dogs were gone and their houses were ransacked. These animals are man's best friend as well as a good crime deterrent. The "dog noise" should be removed from the city ordinance.

Make budget low to avoid overspending

THIS IS to the school superintendent and the school board. You do not have to balance your budget. You can go under your budget, or you can go over it. So the best thing to do is to cut your budget down low enough so you don't have to worry about going over it. That's just common sense. With the education they've got, they ought to know that.

Street signs are incorrect

WILLIAM STREET, which is one of the most important thoroughfares in the city, was named after William Clark, and it's not Williams like the signs at Highway 61 and William have it. They were part of the William and Clark expedition that went across the country. I just think somebody could take some green paint and correct those signs.

School pickup zone is a hazard

I LIVE across from Clippard School. We have complained several times to the police about the traffic problem created by picking up kids, and nobody ever seems to do anything about it. Right now I'm looking at 11 cars parked in the street with traffic blocked both ways, and it's getting worse. You would think something could be done. At least get a police officer or someone to direct traffic to get people out of the street. If there's an emergency at my house, there's no way that an ambulance could get to us for service.